Permit-Required Entry vs. Supervisor Training

Choosing between them

What the permit signature commits the supervisor to

The entry supervisor's duties are spelled out in 1926.1210 for construction and 1910.146(j) for general industry. Before endorsing a permit and allowing entry, the supervisor must:

• Know the hazards that may be faced during entry, including their signs, symptoms and consequences
• Verify that the permit entries are complete, the required tests have been done, and the procedures and equipment specified on the permit are in place
• Verify that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them work
• Remove unauthorized people who enter or try to enter the space
• Make sure entry operations stay consistent with the permit and acceptable entry conditions are maintained
• Terminate the entry and cancel the permit when the work is complete or a prohibited condition arises

That is a different job from carrying out the entry, which is why the training is separate.

When one person needs both courses

On small crews, the same person often signs the permit and then attends or enters. OSHA allows an entry supervisor to also serve as an attendant or authorized entrant, as long as they are trained and equipped for each role they perform. In that case, take both Permit-Required Entry and Supervisor training.

Responsibility can also pass from one supervisor to another during an entry, for example at a shift change. Both supervisors need the training, and the handoff should be clear to everyone on the permit.

Records that show supervisors are ready

Both standards require a written certification that each employee has been trained, including the employee's name, the trainer's signature or initials and the dates of training. Many employers also keep a short competency sign-off for each supervisor covering the site's specific spaces, monitors and permit form. Our free entry permit template and pre-entry checklist are good practice tools for new supervisors.